Shock-absorber.



A. CHRISTIANSON.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25,1913

1,158,483. Patented Sept. 11, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

FEGW

WITNESSES. imam-rem.

mm, mm @JCQ fi flv NZYOQW A. CHRISTIANSON.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25, 1913.

l 1 5 3,483 Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2. PEG. 3 2/ /2 WBTNES$E$ I mv-rom flaw MW ('3 ANDREW CHRISTIANSON, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

Application filed April 25, 1913. Serial No. 763,546.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ANDREW CHRISTIAN- SON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shock-Absorbers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof. a

My invention relates to shock-absorbers.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple form of shock-absorber in which practically no resistance is offered to the downward movement of the vehicle-springs and vehicle-body, but on the recoil such resistance is offered as to permit the springs and body of the vehicle to rise gradually, and so greatly relieve the jolting and jarring of the vehicle when ruts or rough places in the roadway are encountered.

To these ends my invention comprises, generally stated, two members, the one for attachment to the vehicle-body and the other to the axle, a plurality of stationary friction plates and a series of freely movable plates interposed between said first named'plates and held in frictional contact therewith, all

of said plates being inactive when said first member is lowered by the downward movement of the vehicle-body, and means for connecting said member'with said movable plates on the upward movement of said member, wherebysaid plates are moved be tween the stationary plates and sufliclent friction created to retard the upward movement of said member, so as to take up the sudden recoil and permit of the gradual rising of the member to absorb the shock to the body of the vehicle.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved shock-absorber; Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side of the same; Fig. 3 is'a sectional view; Fig. 4 is a sectional view 011 the line 4.4: Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the frictiondisks; and Fig. 6 is a modified form of my invention.

In the drawing the numeral 2 designates an arm or member which is adapted to be secured to the axle, and the numeral 3 an arm or member adapted to be secured to the vehiclebody. The member 3 has the casing 4 at its inner end and within said casing is the friction-plate holder 5. The plate holder 5 has the hollow hub 6 which is provided with the grooves 7. The friction plates 8 are provided with the lugs 9 which are adapted to enter the grooves 7 of the hub 6, so that when said plates are brought into engagement with said hub they are held stationary thereon.

Surrounding the hub and alternating with the stationary plates 8 are the movable or revolving friction-plates 10. When the fric- I tion-plates have been arranged in this man ner on the hub 6 the retaining-plate 11 is adjusted in position and a bolt 12 is passed through the inner end of the member2, the hub 6 and the spring 13, which bears against the retaining plate 11. A nut 14 is then secured on the bolt 12 and the tension of the spring 13 is regulated by said nut to control the friction between the friction plates. The nut 14 is held from turning by the cotter-pin 15 which passes through the bolt and engagement with said roller 19. The friction plate holder 5 has the lugs 21 and the inner endof the member 2 is located between said lugs and is held therein as hereinbefore stated by the bolt 12. When the ve hicle-body is lowered and. the vehicle springs compressed, the member 3 connected to said body will be lowered at its outer end and, as it moves down, the roller 19 does not in any way retard the movement of said member. This downward movement of the member 3 will not in any way affect the friction plates as the casing 4: will simply rotate around said friction plates and consequently there will be no resistance to the downward movement of said member 3. Then, however, the recoil takes place, and said member 8 moves upwardly, the detent 19 will by its own weight become wedged between the inner walls of the casing t and the rotary friction plates 10, so that any upward movement of the member 3 will be attended by a the recoil or shock is taken by the engagement of the friction plates and the upward movement of the member 3 is retarded so as to relieve the jar or jolt.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a modified form of my invention in which the coiled spring 22 is interposed between the retaining plate 11 and the nut 23, which is provided with the annular recess 24 to receive the sprin It is of course apparent that the parts maybe varied or modified without affecting the scope of my invention, and I do not wish to limit it to the exact construction shown and described.

What I claim is:

l. A shock absorber for vehicles, the combination of two members, one connected to the body of thevehicle and the other to the axle, stationary friction plates, rotary friction plates alternating with said stationary frictionplates, a detent adapted to engage directly the peripheries of said rotary friction plates and said first member to bring said plates into engagement with said first named member upon the upward movement of said member.

2. In a shoclcabsorber for vehicles, the combination of two members, one connected to the vehicle-body and the other to the axle, a casing at the inner end of said first named member a friction plate holder having a central hub within said casing and engaged by and movable with said second member in both directions, stationary friction plates carried by said hub, rotary friction plates alternating with said stationary plates, means for holding said plates in frictional contact, and means for bringing said first named member into engagement with said rotary friction plates on the upward movement of said member.

3. In a shock-absorber for vehicles, the combination of two members one connected to the vehicle-body and the other to the axle, the first member having a casing at its inner end, a friction plate holder within said casing and engaged by and movable with said second member in both directions, stationary friction plates carried by said holder, rotary friction plates alternating with said stationary plates, a spring holding said plates in frictional contact, a detent engaging the peripheries of said rotary plates and said first member, whereby said first named member turns said rotary friction plates on the upward movement of saidmember.

4. In a shockabsorber for vehicles, the combination of two members, one connected to the vehicle-body and the other to the axle, a casing at the inner endof said first named member, said casing having a cam-portion, a friction plate holder in said casing engaged by and movable with said second member in both directions, stationary friction plates on said holder, rotary friction plates alternating with said stationary plates, means for holding said plates in frictional contact, and a roller detent in the cam-portion of said casing.

5. In a shock-absorber, for vehicles, the combination of two members, one connected to the vehicle-body and the other to the axle,

a casing at the inner end of said first memher, a' friction plate holder in said casing engaged'by sald second member, a grooved central hub on said holder, stationary friction plates having lugs engaging the grooves in'said hub, rotary friction plates surroiuiding said hub and-alternating withsai-d stationary plates, means for holding said plates in frictional contact, and means for locking said first named member to said rotary friction plates upon the upward movement of said member. l

6. In a shock-absorber for vehicles, the

combination of two members, one connected to the vehicle-body and the other to the axle,

the first named member having a casing at the inner end, a friction plate holder, a hollow hub in said casing and engaged by and movable with said first member in both directions, stationary friction plates on said hub, rotary friction plates alternating with said stationary plates, a retaining plate, a bolt passing through said hub connecting said second member, said holder and said retaining plate, a. spring on said bolt inter-' posed between the nut on said bolt and said retaining plate, and means for locking said first named member to said rotary friction plates on the upward movement of said member.

7. In a shoclcabsorber for vehicles, the combination of two members, one connected to the vehicle-body and the other to the axle, stationary friction plates, rotary friction plates alternating with saidv stationary plates, and a gravity detent adapted to engage saidrotary plates, and said first member, whereby said rotary plates are turned by said first member as it moves upwardly. In testimony whereof, I the said ANDREW GHRISTIANSO}? have hereunto set my hand;

. Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtom'l). C. l 

